The present invention relates to ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, to controllers for ultrasonic cleaning, and to related methods.
Ultrasonic cleaning typically involves immersing an item to be cleaned in a tank of cleaning liquid, then directing ultrasonic pressure waves into the tank. The pressure waves produce micro-cavitation in the liquid, which has a cleaning effect at the surface of the item to be cleaned.
In ultrasonic cleaning of this nature it is important to make good use of the ultrasound to increase efficiency. Problems can arise in distributing the ultrasonic pressure waves so that they are effective across the whole surface of the item to be cleaned, as standing waves linked to tank geometry can lead to the ultrasound in some parts of the tank being ineffective, and in other parts of the tank being too aggressive so as to potentially cause damage to the surface being cleaned.
Example embodiments of the present invention aim to address one or more problems associated with the prior art, for example those problems set out above.